BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition

{{Short description|Classical singing competition in Wales}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox award | name = BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition | current_awards = | image = BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2017.jpg | caption = The current logo used since 2017 | image2 = File:Cardiff Singer of the World.jpg | caption2 = The previous logo used from 2007 to 2015 | presenter = BBC | location = St David's Hall, Cardiff<ref name="About">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/11xGqjdDnrX5FzR2y9MZz8r/about-cardiff-singer|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150102141133/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/11xGqjdDnrX5FzR2y9MZz8r/about-cardiff-singer|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 January 2015|title=About Cardiff Singer|publisher=BBC|access-date=2020-03-23}}</ref> | country = Wales, United Kingdom |reward = The Cardiff Trophy and £20,000 (main prize)<ref name="About"/><br />Song Prize Trophy and £10,000 (song prize)<ref name="About"/><br />Crystal trophy and £2,500 (Dame Kiri Te Kanawa Audience Prize)<ref name="About"/> | awarded_for = Singing | sponsor = BBC and Cardiff Council (main event)<br />Wigmore Hall (Song Prize),<ref name="Hall">{{cite web|url=https://www.rhinegold.co.uk/classical_music/new-partnership-wigmore-hall-bbc-cardiff-singer-world/|title=New partnership for Wigmore Hall and BBC Cardiff Singer of the World|publisher=Rhinegold Publishing|access-date=2020-03-23}}</ref><br />Cardiff University School of Music (Audience Prize)<ref name="Uni">{{cite web|url=https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/142855-school-of-music-sponsors-audience-prize-at-bbc-cardiff-singer-of-the-world|title=School of Music sponsors audience prize at BBC Cardiff Singer of the World|publisher=Cardiff University|access-date=2020-03-23}}</ref> | former name = {{ubl|Cardiff Singer of the World|BBC Singer of the World in Cardiff}} | network = BBC Four, BBC Two Wales, S4C, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio Cymru. | related = Welsh Singers Showcase | winner = Adolfo Corrado, 2023<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/2023/cardiff-singer-of-the-world-winner|title=BBC Cardiff Singer of the World crowns 2023 winner|publisher=BBC|access-date=2023-11-15}}</ref> | year = {{start date and age|1983}} | year2 = | website = {{URL|https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007qn4b|BBC Cardiff Singer of the World website}} }}

'''BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition''' (known as '''Cardiff Singer of the World''' from 1983 to 2001 and '''BBC Singer of the World in Cardiff''' in 2003) is a competition for classical singers held every two years.<ref name=":0" />

The competition was started by BBC Wales in 1983 to celebrate the opening of St David's Hall in Cardiff, Wales,<ref name="About"/> home of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. The creation of the competition was overseen by Geraint Stanley Jones, who was the controller at BBC Wales at the time.<ref name=bbc>{{cite news|first=Huw|last=Thomas |title=Geraint Stanley Jones, former head of BBC Wales and S4C, dies |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-34063756 |work=BBC Wales |date=2015-08-26 |access-date=2015-09-20}}</ref> Auditions are held throughout the world in the autumn before the competition, with singers being selected to take part in Cardiff the following June. Each singer represents their own country. In Wales there is a competition to select the national representative; the winner of the Welsh Singers Showcase represents Wales in BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.welshsingerscompetition.com/|title=Welsh Singers Competition – For singers at the early stages of their career, aged 18 to 32|access-date=24 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516051939/http://www.welshsingerscompetition.com/|archive-date=16 May 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The competition is judged by a panel of distinguished opera singers, musicians and music professionals. In 2003 an audience prize was also introduced for the primary competition; in 2011 it was renamed the Dame Joan Sutherland Audience Prize to mark the passing of the singer who was the competition's first patron.

==History== [[File:St David's Hall (geograph 7470493).jpg|thumb|175px|left|The competition's final has been held at St David's Hall since it began in 1983]] thumb|upright|150px|Bryn Terfel won the inaugural Lieder Prize in 1989. In 1983, the first year of the competition, eighteen singers participated. The winner was Finnish soprano Karita Mattila.

A Lieder Prize was introduced in 1989, as art song and opera are both important forms of singing, but very different. The 1989 competition was particularly noteworthy with Welsh baritone Bryn Terfel winning the Lieder prize and Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky taking the overall title. Both singers went on to enjoy successful careers with international acclaim.

The "Song Prize" (formerly the "Lieder Prize") was renamed in 2001 in order to clarify that it applies to art song and folksong rather than German Lieder only. The "Song Prize" became a separate event in 2003, named as the ''BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Rosenblatt Recital Song Prize''. However, after the 2009 competition, its name was changed to ''BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Song Prize''. It is not compulsory, and the only entry requirement is that the singer is taking part in the primary competition. It is not possible to enter for the "Song Prize" only.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/cardiffsinger/sites/about/pages/rules.shtml |title= BBC Wales - Cardiff Singer of the World - About Cardiff Singer - Competition rules|website=www.bbc.co.uk |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090618155328/http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/cardiffsinger/sites/about/pages/rules.shtml |archive-date=June 18, 2009}}</ref> In 2001, Romanian tenor Marius Brenciu became the first singer to win both prizes.<ref name="BBC Cardiff Singer of the World">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007qn4b|title=BBC Cardiff Singer of the World|publisher=BBC|access-date=24 October 2016}}</ref>

Finnish baritone Tommi Hakala won in 2003, with the Song Prize going to Irish soprano Ailish Tynan. The first "Audience Prize", voted for by the audience both in the hall and for the broadcasts, was awarded to Chilean soprano Angela Marambio.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/18MycXptR0YkZB3513Lxwg4/2003-competitors|title=2003 - The Final, BBC Cardiff Singer of the World - 2003 competitors|publisher=BBC|access-date=24 October 2016}}</ref>

The 2005 prize was won by American soprano Nicole Cabell, with English tenor Andrew Kennedy winning the "Song Prize" and the "Audience Prize" being won by Korean soprano Ha-Joung Lee.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/3wFhjjxsWcf3rGgjJ4QMKSh/2005-competitors|title=2005 - The Final, BBC Cardiff Singer of the World - 2005 competitors|access-date=24 October 2016}}</ref>

Chinese singer Shen Yang (subsequently known as Shenyang) won the 2007 competition, The "Song Prize" was won by English soprano Elizabeth Watts, while Jacques Imbrailo, South African baritone, won the "Audience Prize".<ref name="2007site">{{cite web |title=Cardiff Singer 2007 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/cardiffsinger/sites/2007/ |website=BBC Wales |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214110356/https://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/cardiffsinger/sites/2007/ |archive-date=14 February 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2009, the winner was Russian soprano Ekaterina Scherbachenko. The winner of the "Song Prize" was bass Jan Martinik from the Czech Republic and Italian tenor Giordano Luca took the "Audience Prize".<ref>{{cite web |title=Cardiff Singer of the World - 2009 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/cardiffsinger/sites/2009/ |website=BBC Wales |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101110200346/https://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/cardiffsinger/sites/2009/ |archive-date=10 November 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> {{Multiple image | total_width = 250 | caption_align = center | image1 = Nafornita Valentina-4419 (17148024471) (cropped).jpg | image2 = Round 4 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World (cropped).jpg | direction = horizontal | caption1 = In 2011, Valentina Nafornița was the winner of the main prize. | caption2 = In 2021, Claire Barnett-Jones was the winner of the Audience Prize. }}

Followed a revised format and schedule, the 2011 competition had 20 singers taking part in four preliminary concerts. The 2011 winner was Moldovan soprano Valentina Naforniță, who also won the newly renamed "Dame Joan Sutherland Audience Prize". The "Song Prize" was won by Ukrainian baritone Andrei Bondarenko.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/43PtfDcPM8rbg615rj5xjRN/2011-competitors|title=2011, BBC Cardiff Singer of the World - 2011 competitors - BBC Four|publisher=BBC|access-date=24 October 2016}}</ref>

The 30th anniversary competition took place between 16 and 23 June 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/4JSGf2VN0HK5WM158MNlcQ7/2013-competitors|title=2013, BBC Cardiff Singer of the World - Competitors - BBC Radio 3|access-date=24 October 2016}}</ref> It was won by US mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton, who also won the "Song Prize". The "Dame Joan Sutherland Audience Prize" was won by English tenor Ben Johnson.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/Q6qgdjT0NNhhJvGJ9gwlvf/england-ben-johnson|title=2013, BBC Cardiff Singer of the World - England: Ben Johnson - BBC Radio 3|publisher=BBC|access-date=24 October 2016}}</ref><ref name="BBC Cardiff Singer of the World"/>

Many non-winning finalists have gone on to very distinguished operatic careers. Examples include Finnish soprano Soile Isokoski in 1987, Swedish dramatic soprano Nina Stemme in 1993 and Latvian mezzo-soprano Elina Garanca in 2001.

The 2025 edition of the competition has been postponed until 2027 due to the host venue, St David's Hall, being closed to allow for essential work to be carried out to replace the roof. The competition instead staged a televised gala concert, featuring previous winners and competitors, in October 2025 as part of the Wales Millennium Centre's Llais international music festival.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cv2gzz21dnyo|title=Music: BBC Cardiff Singer of the World contest postponed to 2027|date=25 July 2024|website=BBC News|accessdate=27 November 2024}}</ref>

==Organisation== The competition is organised by BBC Cymru Wales and was televised nationwide by BBC Two until 2013 and on BBC Four since 2003 (BBC Knowledge in 2001). Additionally, the competition is televised by BBC Two Wales, in Welsh on S4C and broadcast over radio channels BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio Wales and the Welsh language BBC Radio Cymru. All coverage can also be found on BBC iPlayer. It is supported by Welsh National Opera and the Cardiff Council.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/11xGqjdDnrX5FzR2y9MZz8r/about-cardiff-singer|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150102141133/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/11xGqjdDnrX5FzR2y9MZz8r/about-cardiff-singer|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 January 2015|title=BBC Cardiff Singer of the World - About Cardiff Singer|publisher=BBC|access-date=24 October 2016}}</ref>

From 2003, the competition's first patron was Dame Joan Sutherland, until her death in 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/cardiffsinger/sites/news/pages/dame-joan-sutherland.shtml |title= BBC - Wales - Cardiff Singer of the World - News - Dame Joan Sutherland|website=www.bbc.co.uk |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101113175131/http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/cardiffsinger/sites/news/pages/dame-joan-sutherland.shtml |archive-date=November 13, 2010}}</ref> Since 2011, the patron has been Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/walesmusic/2011/01/dame-kiri-te-kanawa-cardiff-singer-patron.shtml|title=BBC - Wales Music: Dame Kiri te Kanawa announced as new Cardiff Singer patron|first=Cardiff|last=Singer|publisher=BBC|access-date=24 October 2016}}</ref>

===Presenters=== The following have hosted stages of the competition:

;BBC Two (1983–2011), BBC Knowledge (2001) and BBC Four (2003–present): {{Div col|colwidth=20em|rules=yes}} * Brian Kay (1983–1987) * Frank Lincoln (1983) * Chris Stuart (1989) * Humphrey Burton (1991) * Natalie Wheen (1993–1997) * Iain Burnside (1993–1997) * Michael White (1995) * Huw Edwards (1997–2009) * Petroc Trelawny (1999–present) * {{ill|Gwenan Edwards|cy}} (1999–2003) * Barbara Bonney (2001, 2003) * Aled Jones (2003, 2005) * Sian Williams (2007) * Danielle de Niese (2013) * Angel Blue (2015, 2017) * Josie D'Arby (2019–present) {{Div col end}}

;BBC Radio 3 live coverage: {{Div col|colwidth=20em|rules=yes}} * Catherine Bott (2007, 2009) * Fiona Talkington (2009) * Iain Burnside (2011–2015, 2019, 2023) * Donald Macleod (2011, 2013) * Susan Bullock (2015) * Kate Molleson (2017–2019) * Rebecca Evans (2019–present) * Andrew McGregor (2021) {{Div col end}}

;BBC Two Wales highlights: {{Div col|colwidth=20em|rules=yes}} * Aled Jones (2007, 2009) * Josie D'Arby (2009–present) * Tim Rhys-Evans (2011–2021) * Connie Fisher (2011, 2013) * Petroc Trelawny (2023) {{Div col end}}

;BBC Radio Wales {{Div col|colwidth=20em|rules=yes}} * Nicola Heywood-Thomas (2009–2015, 2021) * Beverley Humphreys (2011, 2013, 2019, 2023) * Wynne Evans (2015–2023) * Rebecca Evans (2017) {{Div col end}}

;BBC Radio Cymru: {{Div col|colwidth=20em|rules=yes}} * Siân Pari Huws (2009–2015) * {{ill|Alwyn Humphreys|cy}} (2009–2013, 2019) * Beti George (2009–2013, 2019) * Alun Guy (2013) * Nia Roberts (2017) * {{ill|Heledd Cynwal|cy}} (2019) {{Div col end}}

;S4C highlights: * Siân Pari Huws (2013) * Heledd Cynwal (2015, 2017)

=== Jury === Many prominent singers have served in the jury, including Carlo Bergonzi, Sir Geraint Evans, Marilyn Horne, Gundula Janowitz, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Sherrill Milnes, Christoph Prégardien, Dame Joan Sutherland, Dame Anne Evans, René Kollo, Galina Vishnevskaya and Dame Gwyneth Jones, Irina Arkhipova and Shen Xiang. There is a separate jury for the "Song Prize", with some members serving on both juries. The 2019 jury included Dame Felicity Lott and Robert Holl.

On the day between the two competition finals, some of the jury members give master classes to some of the non-finalists, which are open to the public.

==Competition winners==

===Overall winners=== Here are the overall winners of Cardiff Singer of the World since the contest's inception in 1983.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! Year ! Country ! Contestant ! Voice type |- |1983 |{{flag|Finland}} |Karita Mattila |Soprano |- |1985 |{{flag|United States}} |David Malis |Baritone |- |1987 |{{flag|Italy}} |Valeria Esposito |Soprano |- |1989 |{{flag|Soviet Union}} |Dmitri Hvorostovsky |Baritone |- |1991 |{{flag|Australia}} |Lisa Gasteen |rowspan="2"|Soprano |- |1993 |{{flag|Denmark}} |Inger Dam-Jensen |- |1995 |{{flag|Sweden}} |Katarina Karnéus |rowspan="2"|Mezzo-soprano |- |1997 |{{flag|China}} |Guang Yang |- |1999 |{{flag|Germany}} |Anja Harteros |Soprano |- |2001 |{{flag|Romania}} |Marius Brenciu |Tenor |- |2003 |{{flag|Finland}} |Tommi Hakala |Baritone |- |2005 |{{flag|United States}} |Nicole Cabell |Soprano |- |2007 |{{flag|China}} |Shenyang |Bass-baritone |- |2009 |{{flag|Russia}} |Ekaterina Scherbachenko |rowspan="2"|Soprano |- |2011 |{{flag|Moldova}} |Valentina Naforniță |- |2013 |{{flag|United States}} |Jamie Barton |Mezzo-soprano |- |2015 |{{flag|Belarus}} |Nadine Koutcher |Soprano |- |2017 |{{flag|Scotland}} |Catriona Morison |Mezzo-soprano |- |2019 |{{flag|Ukraine}} |Andrei Kymach |rowspan="2"|Baritone |- |2021 |{{flag|South Korea}} |Gihoon Kim |- |2023 |{{flag|Italy}} |Adolfo Corrado |Bass |- |}

==="Song Prize" winners=== This prize was introduced in 1989; it was formerly known as the "Lieder Prize". Here are all the contestants who achieved the Song Prize since then.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! Year ! Country ! Contestant ! Voice type |- |1989 |rowspan="2"|{{flag|Wales}} |Bryn Terfel |rowspan="2"|Bass-baritone |- |1991 |Neal Davies |- |1993 |{{flag|New Zealand}} |Paul Whelan |Baritone |- |1995 |{{flag|Finland}} |Kirsi Tiihonen |Soprano |- |1997 |{{flag|England}} |Christopher Maltman |rowspan="2"|Baritone |- |1999 |{{flag|South Korea}} |Dae-San No |- |2001 |{{flag|Romania}} |Marius Brenciu |Tenor |- |2003 |{{flag|Ireland}} |Ailish Tynan |Soprano |- |2005 |rowspan="2"|{{flag|England}} |Andrew Kennedy |Tenor |- |2007 |Elizabeth Watts |Soprano |- |2009 |{{flag|Czech Republic}} |Jan Martiník |Bass |- |2011 |{{flag|Ukraine}} |Andrei Bondarenko |Baritone |- |2013 |{{flag|United States}} |Jamie Barton |Mezzo-soprano |- |2015 |{{flag|South Korea}} |Jongmin Park |Bass |- |rowspan="2"|2017 |{{flag|Mongolia}} |Ariunbaatar Ganbaatar |Baritone |- |{{flag|Scotland}} |Catriona Morison |Mezzo-soprano |- |2019 |{{flag|China}} |Mingjie Lei |Tenor |- |2021 |{{flag|South Africa}} |Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha |Soprano |- |2023 |{{flag|South Korea}} |Sungho Kim |Tenor |- |}

===Audience Prize winners=== The "Dame Joan Sutherland Audience Prize" was introduced in 2003. In 2023 it was renamed the "Dame Kiri Te Kanawa Audience Prize".

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! Year ! Country ! Contestant ! Voice type |- |2003 |{{flag|Chile}} |Angela Marambio |rowspan="2"|Soprano |- |2005 |{{flag|South Korea}} |Ha-Joung Lee |- |2007 |{{flag|South Africa}} |Jacques Imbrailo |Baritone |- |2009 |{{flag|Italy}} |Giordano Lucà |Tenor |- |2011 |{{flag|Moldova}} |Valentina Naforniță |Soprano |- |2013 |{{flag|England}} |Ben Johnson |Tenor |- |2015 |{{flag|Mongolia}} |Amartuvshin Enkhbat |Baritone |- |2017 |rowspan="3"|{{flag|England}} |Louise Alder |Soprano |- |2019 |Katie Bray |rowspan="2"|Mezzo-soprano |- |2021 |Claire Barnett-Jones |- |2023 |{{flag|Colombia}} |Julieth Lozano Rolong |Soprano |}

== See also == * List of classical music competitions

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{BBC programme|id=b007qn4b}}

{{BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition}} {{BBC Radio 3}} {{Culture in Cardiff}} {{Authority control}}

Cardiff Singer of the World competition Category:British biennial events Category:Opera competitions Category:Music competitions in the United Kingdom Category:Classical music television series Category:BBC Cymru Wales television shows Category:BBC Radio 3 programmes Category:Awards established in 1983 Category:Early career awards Category:1983 establishments in Wales Category:Organised events in Cardiff Category:Music in Cardiff